“You desire me tae find another wife,” Duncan said heavily.
The expressions of regret and sorrow from the men at the table answered his question. Though he knew this was not the way they would wish to carry on the lineage of the clan.
“Unfortunately, my Laird,” Jamie said worriedly, “yer position comes with a heavy responsibility. If there were any other way, we would nae ask ye tae take on such a heavy burden. But there isnae any other way.”
“I understand, Jamie.” Duncan took a deep breath in and lifted his head. Jamie was right. He was willing to run into battle, his sword waving and proudly wearing the MacDougall colors. This was not such a sacrifice. And yet it felt even more poignant than giving his life. He would face it head on and with pride, as he faced all challenges. The clan was far bigger than one man and, in that fact, lay their strength. “Is there a time in which ye desire I secure such a woman?”
Another murmur traveled around the table as a discussion ensued, each man putting forth his opinion on a time scale. After a few minutes, an agreement was reached.
“It is agreed, my Laird,” Jamie said, speaking for the rest of the men as he often did. “Ye will find a wife within one month. We ken it may feel a little soon, but all things are for the continuance o’ the clan.”
It did not come as any surprise that the time chosen was so short. Their reasoning was sound and even as helplessness washed over him, there was little he could do about it. In that moment, Elaine entered his mind. Perhaps it was for the best. After last night, a fire had been lit within him and though there were still unanswered questions about her, the pull he felt was stronger than it ought to be in such a short period of time. By looking for a wife from amongst the other clans, it would at least stop him from falling too deeply for Elaine. That is, if he had not already.
“Very well,” Duncan nodded.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Elaine turned and stretched, slightly moaning as her body awoke from the best sleep she'd had in a long time. The flood of memories from the previous night only came back to her when she opened her eyes and realized she was in Duncan's bed. She smiled softly, andfelt a strange tingling in her stomach as she remembered what he had done to her and how he had made her feel. Heat rose in her deeper parts once more, as the memory aroused her even now.
For such a strong and brave warrior, his touch had been so tender. His caresses felt like the touch of a butterfly’s wing on her skin. In her life, she had never experienced such pleasure. In fact, she had not known such ecstasy even existed.
When he had told her he wanted to make her feel like no man had before, Duncan could not have imagined how true his statement had been. And as all embarrassment had fallen away, she had completely succumbed to an ache that had awoken in the deepest part of her. When he had eventually taken her, it had been painful for a short while. But lost in time and her surroundings, the pleasure that followed had overridden it.
Coming out of her dreamy reverie, Elaine thought back to the look upon Duncan’s face as they had moved together. Mixed with his own lustful pleasure as he had gazed down at her came an expression of confusion when he had realized she was indeed a virgin. The confusion was lost as their lovemaking continued, for by his expression, he too, was so taken in the moment of their combined experience. Nothing could have pulled him from it.
Now, however, as she lay there and thought about it, a fear washed over her. Surely, Duncan would now know that she was not a lady of pleasure. She had slowly been taken in by his touch, hardly thinking upon it at the time. And even as he had slowly undressed her and carried her to the bed, her need for him had taken over, crowding out any sense or reason for anything that might occur afterwards. She had just wanted him. No doubt he would want to discuss his discovery with her sooner or later, and the very thought terrified her.
What was she to tell him?
What story could she possibly concoct that would explain away the fact that before him, she had never been with another man? Even as she lay there in his bed, nothing would come to her. She only knew she needed to think up a convincing story, and she needed to do it soon.
* * *
After she had returned to her own bedchamber to wash and dress, Elaine ventured downstairs. She had not yet seen the damage after the attack yesterday evening. And while the other servants hardly bothered with her, she did not feel she could simply stay in her bedchamber when extra hands may be needed elsewhere. Descending the stairs and walking across the hallway, it was obvious a great clean-up had occurred. Yet the damage was still evident in the fact that some of the great tapestries that had hung on the walls beforehand were now missing, as were stunning paintings that had decorated the corridors.
Elaine also noticed the small things as she continued to the Great Hall. Candelabras and statues were damaged, and small decorative items, like vases and pottery, were missing from the places they had previously been. Guilt welled up in her once again as she thought of the reason the attack had happened. She had no way to alleviate the intense emotion, for she could tell no one of her real reasons for being there. Further to that, nor had the mystery man’s plan been successful, for all the destruction that had been caused, had brought him no closer to the ring he so badly desired.
The Great Hall looked far different from the last time she was in it. Split into two, tables for eating and drinking had been positioned on the left-hand side, while on the right, injured soldiers lay on the remaining tables. There was not a great deal of them, but enough to need care.
“Is there anything I can dae?” Elaine asked a passing maid.
The maid only glared at her with a scowl of disgust, and without slowing down, carried on without a word.
“Och, for goodness' sake,” Elaine huffed.
“I have a job for ye, if ye are looking tae busy yourself.”
Elaine turned toward the voice and was met with the sight of an older man. He stood upright and tall, despite his age; his apron was smeared with blood, his eyes heavy. “I am Samuel,” he said. “The castle healer.”
“Hello, Samuel. My name is Elaine.”
He nodded with a knowing expression. Clearly, like every other individual in the castle, he knew exactly who she was.
“Please, how can I help?” She offered.
“Those men over yonder,” he gestured to a table with three men lying upon it, “need water and for their wounds tae be checked and if necessary, redressed. Dae ye know anything about dressing wounds?” he asked.
“I dae,” Elaine replied confidently. She had dressed her father and Angus’s often enough over the years. For if they had not garnered injuries from the farm tools, they had been injured on many occasions by the cattle.